Excavator.



J. GALLAGHER.

BXGAVATOR. APPLICATION FILED MAY 2 Patented Oct. 8, 1913 A V A IN VE N TOR @{OZIZ GaZZ n A/Iorney WITNESSES 50L? mA nLANomzAI-n ca, WASHINGTON,D. c.

JOHN GALLAGHER, 0F MADISON, WISCONSIN.

EXGAVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct 8, 1912.

Application filed May 2, 1911. Serial No. 624,666.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN GALLAGHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Madison, in the county of Dane and State of Wisconsin, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Excavators, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to excavators and has for its object to provide amachine of simple construction and high degree of efficiency capable ofa variety of uses such as, dredging, excavating and loading sand anddirt on cars or wagons, etc.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side view showing one of the blades orshovels in section, and Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 represents arotary cutter wheel comprising a plurality of cutter bars 6 secured toand radiating from a shaft 7, the latter of which may be suitablysupported upon the forward end of a traction engine, not shown. Thecutter bars 6 are strengthened by brace rods 8 extending between eachadjacent pair, having their ends connected together and to the bars 6 bya common bolt 9 passing through apertured lugs 10 on the ends of eachbrace rod.

11 represents a plurality of blades or shovels, one for each cutter bar,having their inner and outer ends secured to the brace rods 8 and cutterbars 6 respectively by means of bolts 12. These carrier blades whichhave a curved bottom wall 13, open outer side edges 14 and cutting edges15 in reality constitute pockets for elevating the dirt or othermaterial to be handled. Inwardly inclined and converging flanges 15 onthe blades of each pair form substantially V shaped troughs which serveto deflect the dirt outwardly onto conveniently located chutes 16 oneach side of the machine as the wheel is rotated. It will be noted thatthe flanges 15 terminate a short distance from the cutting edges 15, theblades being provided with straight inner abutting edges 18 extendingbetween the said cutting edges and the end of flanges 15. While thecutter bars are shown as being arranged in pairs,

one on either end of the shaft 7, it is obvious that the cutter bars onone end of shaft 7 may be dispensed with.

Each of the blades 11 is preferably provided with a plurality of fingers15 detachably secured thereto as by means of bolts 15. These fingers,which are secured to the cutting edge of the blades 11 serve to loosenthe dirt and consequently assist the blades or shovels to scoop the dirtup. The shaft 7 is driven by means of gear wheels 7 suitably connectedto a source of power, not shown.

From the foregoing description the operation of the invention will beapparent, but may be briefly outlined as follows: The cutter wheel isadvanced into position to bring the blades 11 into engagement with thebank or other place from which the earth is to be taken, and the wheel 5is rotated in the direction of the arrows Fig. 1. As the wheel 5 rotatesthe cutting edges 15 of the blades 11 scoop up a quantity of dirt, whichis carried by the blades around to a point opposite the chutes 16 wherethe load is dumped. By reason of the inclination of the inner side wallof the blades 11, it follows that as the latter are elevated to theposition shown in Fig. 2, the load of dirt carried thereby is caused toglide outwardly onto the chutes 16, from where the dirt may be directedto an endless carrier, not shown.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim is:

In an excavator, a rotary shaft, a plurality of carrier blades on saidshaft, said blades having open forward and outer side edges and straightinner abutting edges and provided with inclined flanges extendinginwardly from said outer side edges connecting said inner and outeredges and forming a V shaped trough.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN GALLAGHER.

Witnesses:

JOHN C. MOFARLIN, C. H. WANAMAKER.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G.

